News round-up

No prosecutions over Dale Farm

Basildon council in Essex has dropped prosecutions against 14 activists involved in defending Travellers at Dale Farm last year.

Tory council leader Tony Ball admitted that the cases were dropped after a judge questioned the public interest in an earlier prosecution.

David Laws shuffles back

The coalition is quietly bringing back Lib Dem expenses cheat David Laws into the cabinet. He’s set to be given a “roving brief” to resolve rows between Lib Dem and Tory ministers.

G20 pathologist is struck off

A medical tribunal has struck off Freddy Patel, the pathologist who examined Ian Tomlinson. It found Patel guilty of “misconduct, deficient professional performance and dishonesty”.

Patel wrongly stated Ian had died of a heart attack. Ian had collapsed after being shoved and struck by PC Simon Harwood during the London G20 protests in 2009.